Requirements (N-400)

This page is for green card holders who want to become U.S. citizens. The process by which someone born outside the United States later becomes a citizen is called "naturalization"; the application is filed using Form N-400. Below, you will find who can apply and when, how periods spent abroad are counted, and the "good moral character" requirement. For the application steps, see 4.2 Application, biometrics, interview; for the test, see 4.3 Citizenship test.

• Be at least 18 years old on the application date.
• Have been a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) for at least 5 years.
• Have continuous residence in the United States for the 5 years preceding the application.
• Have been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months (913 days) of those 5 years (physical presence).
• Have lived for at least 3 months in the state or USCIS district where you apply.
  • Students who are financially dependent on their families may apply from the location of their school or family.
• Have good moral character throughout the last 5 years and until the oath ceremony.
• Be attached to the principles of the U.S. Constitution.
• Be able to read, write, and speak basic English; and know U.S. history and government (civics).
• Be willing to take the Oath of Allegiance.
• You can conduct a preliminary check using USCIS's free eligibility tool. The tool does not make a final decision; USCIS makes the decision after you apply.

You must meet all of the following on the application date:

• Have held a green card for at least 3 years.
• Have been living in marital union with your U.S. citizen spouse for the last 3 years.
• Your spouse must have been a U.S. citizen for at least 3 years.
• Remain married and maintain continuous residence in the United States from the application through the oath ceremony.
• Have been physically present in the United States for at least 18 months (548 days) of the last 3 years.
• The 3-month state or district requirement, good moral character (for the last 3 years and until the oath), English, and civics requirements.
• Required documents:
  • proof of your spouse's citizenship: a U.S. birth certificate, certificate of citizenship, or the identification page of a U.S. passport;
  • your current marriage certificate and a divorce decree or death certificate showing that each of you has ended any prior marriage;
  • evidence that you live together: joint bank or credit card statements, a lease or mortgage agreement, insurance policies, and both spouses' IRS tax transcripts for the last 3 years.
• For the green card process through marriage, see 7.1 Marriage to a U.S. citizen or green card holder.

• Those whose spouse works abroad in a qualifying job (INA 319(b)): Your U.S. citizen spouse may be working abroad on behalf of the U.S. government, a recognized American research institution, an American company engaged in foreign trade, an international organization of which the United States is a member, or a religious organization.
  • Your spouse's assignment must be expected to last at least 1 year from the date of application.
  • No specific green card, residence, or physical presence period is required.
  • You must be present in the United States at the interview and oath.
  • You must show that you will join your spouse within 30–45 days after becoming a citizen and live in the United States when the assignment ends.
• Spouses who are victims of abuse (VAWA): Those who were abused by a U.S. citizen spouse and obtained a green card through this process may benefit from the 3-year rule without the marital-union requirement. See 7.7 Domestic violence.
• Military service: At least 1 year of honorable service during peacetime (INA 328) or service during designated periods of conflict (INA 329) is subject to separate requirements. The period continuing since September 11, 2001 is considered a period of conflict. No N-400 fee is charged for these applications.
• Conditional green card holders: You must have filed Form I-751 (Form I-829 for investors) within the 90 days before your card expires. In most cases, USCIS waits for this application to be approved before approving the N-400. See 3.10 Conditional green cards and removal of conditions.

• You may apply as early as 90 days before the 5- or 3-year period ends.
• You must meet all other requirements on the application date:
  • For the marriage-based route, you must have been married for at least 3 years on the application date.
  • If you request an age-based English exemption, the required age and green card period must have been reached on the application date.
• Count the period from the permanent resident since date on your green card. Find your date using USCIS's Early Filing Calculator.
• An application filed too early will be returned (rejection) or denied (denial).

• Absence longer than 6 months but shorter than 1 year (181–364 days): continuous residence is presumed to have been disrupted. You must prove that it was not disrupted.
  • USCIS considers whether you kept your job in the United States, did not work abroad, your family remained in the United States, and you kept your home in the United States.
  • Examples of evidence: IRS tax transcripts, rent or mortgage payments, pay stubs, bank and credit card statements showing regular activity, vehicle registration and insurance, and entry and exit stamps in your passport.
• Absence of 1 year or longer: continuous residence is broken. The rule also applies to absences after filing.
• Restarting the period: A person who stays away for more than 1 year and returns may apply under the 5-year route at least 4 years and 1 day after returning. In this situation, they must also overcome the presumption concerning an absence longer than 6 months. If they apply 4 years and 6 months after returning, this presumption does not apply.
• A reentry permit protects your green card; it does not preserve continuous residence for citizenship purposes. See 3.11 Protecting the card.
• Form N-470: If you will work abroad for the U.S. government, a recognized American research institution, a qualifying American company, an international organization of which the United States is a member, or for a religious assignment, you may preserve your residence with Form N-470. The fee is $420 (G-1055, October 7, 2026 edition).
• Physical presence calculation: The days you leave and return to the United States count as days spent in the United States.
• On the N-400, you list all trips abroad during the last 5 years (3 years through marriage), including their dates.

• Standard: the standards of the average citizen in the community where you live.
• Period: the 5 years before applying (3 years through marriage) and the period through the oath ceremony.
• Permanent bars:
  • conviction of murder at any time;
  • conviction on or after November 29, 1990, for an "aggravated felony."
• Main conduct that is a bar during the statutory period:
  • serving a total of 180 days or more in prison because of a conviction;
  • giving false testimony to obtain an immigration benefit;
  • drug offenses (except possessing 30 grams or less of marijuana once for personal use);
  • claiming to be a U.S. citizen, unlawfully registering to vote, or voting;
  • driving under the influence (DUI), failing to support dependents, or illegal gambling.
• Marijuana: Some states have legalized marijuana. However, marijuana remains a controlled substance under federal law. According to USCIS, possessing or using marijuana, or working in this industry, may prevent you from meeting the good moral character requirement even if it complies with state law.
• Tax debt: Include documentation showing your payment plan with the IRS or state and its current status.
• Alimony and child support: Document that you support children living separately from you or comply with a court order.
• Probation: An N-400 will not be approved while parole, probation, or a suspended sentence is ongoing.
• Disclose everything: This includes arrests and charges anywhere in the world, incidents before age 18, and records that have been expunged. An undisclosed incident may result in denial even if the incident itself is not a bar.
• Traffic incidents: Documentation is requested only for incidents involving alcohol or drugs, resulting in an arrest, or causing serious injury to someone.
• Neighborhood investigation: Through a policy alert dated August 25, 2026, USCIS restarted personal investigations in the applicant's neighborhood. You may provide character reference letters, preferably from U.S. citizens who are not family members. USCIS considers these letters when deciding whether to conduct the investigation.

• The green card must have been properly obtained: When reviewing the N-400, USCIS also examines whether you obtained your green card lawfully and whether you abandoned your status. This review covers your initial entry and all subsequent entries. If you have had a misrepresentation or status issue in the past, consult an immigration attorney before applying.
• Military registration (Selective Service): Almost all men living in the United States must register between ages 18 and 25.
  • If you are under 26 and did not register, register first and then apply.
  • If you are between 26 and 31 (26–29 through marriage) and did not register: explain why in Part 14 of the N-400 and obtain a status information letter from Selective Service.
  • If you are 31 or older (29 or older through marriage), no explanation or letter is required.
  • Knowingly failing to register may affect the good moral character and attachment to the Constitution determinations.
• Tax filing: Representing yourself as a "nonresident" on a U.S. tax return while living abroad may be considered an indication that you abandoned your status. See 15.1 Tax residency.
• Children under 18 do not file an N-400; they may automatically become citizens with their parents. See 4.6 Children.

• Counting the 5 years from the date of first arrival in the United States rather than from the green card date.
• Applying before the 90-day early filing window opens.
• Applying before completing 3 years of marriage under the marriage-based route.
• Failing to provide evidence for stays abroad longer than 6 months.
• Assuming that a reentry permit also preserves the citizenship period.
• Failing to disclose expunged or seemingly minor criminal records.
• Applying without resolving tax debt or child support obligations.
• Voting or registering to vote while a green card holder.

• I stayed in Türkiye for 7 months. Can I not apply? You can apply. However, you must prove that continuous residence was not disrupted: your job, home, and family in the United States, and your tax and bank records.
• My card is about to expire. If I file an N-400, do I also need an I-90? The N-400 receipt extends the validity of your green card for 2 years from the card's expiration date; you show the receipt together with the card. If your card was lost, you still need to file an I-90.
• My spouse became a citizen 2 years ago. Can I use the 3-year rule? No. Your spouse must have been a citizen for at least 3 years. You may apply under the 5-year rule or wait until the period is met.
• I got divorced after applying. The 3-year rule requires you to remain married until the oath ceremony. Discuss your situation with an immigration attorney.
• Marijuana is legal in my state. Will this be a problem? It may be under federal law. USCIS may consider this in the good moral character assessment.
• I forgot to register for Selective Service. The rule varies according to your age (see above). You can request a status information letter from Selective Service.
• How long will my application take? USCIS publishes processing times by office: processing times.

• Form N-400 (PDF) · Instructions (PDF)
• Pre-application checklist G-1151 (PDF)
• Eligibility tool
• Early Filing Calculator
• 10 steps to naturalization
• Form N-470 (PDF) · Instructions (PDF)
• USCIS fee schedule G-1055 (PDF) · Fee calculator
• USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12: Citizenship
• Selective Service registration
• Related: 3.1 What is a green card; rights and responsibilities · 3.11 Protecting the card · 4.2 Application, biometrics, interview